Current Affairs Quick Recap – July Week Three

Nalanda Mahavihara or University in Bihar has been included in the UNESCO’s World Heritage List, which also featured three new sites from China, Iran and Micronesia.

The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) announced the elimination of YAWS, maternal and neonatal tetanus to India and hailed its public health achievements as examples to other countries.

India’s Harika Dronavalli held on to her nerves to capture the Fide Women’s Grand Prix trophy in Chendu in China.

Mahindra Aerostructures, a subsidiary of Mahindra & Mahindrais the 1st Indian company to receive a contract from European aviation major Airbus Helicopters Airbus Helicopters as Tier I supplier.

The Emirates was named the world’s best airline at the prestigious Skytrax World Airline Awards 2016.

A Nigerian journalistDidiAkinyelurehas won the second BBC World News KomlaDumor Award for 2016.

Appointments

Pema Khandu was sworn in as the ninth chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh.

World Bank President Jim Yong Kim announced that American economist Paul Romer will succeed Kaushik Basu as Chief Economist and Senior Vice President of the World Bank .

Malcolm Turnbull was sworn in as the prime minister of Australia.

An Odisha-born bureaucrat Guruprasad Mohapatra has been appointed the chairman of Airports Authority of India (AAI).

The government has appointed Rajesh Kumar Chaturvedi as chairman of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).

Malasian President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has appointed Mohamed Asim as the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Banking and Economy

The RBI has set up an inter regulatory Working Group (WG)to study the entire gamut of regulatory issues relating to Fin Tech and Digital Banking in India

The Book “Who Moved My Interest Rate” authored by “Duvvuri Subbarao”

India’s top public sector bank, SBI has signed MoU with the Indian Institute of Technology Society for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SINE), (IIT) Bombay’s technology business incubator, to promote innovation by startups in the financial sector.

National Round-Up

Noted writer Amitav Ghosh’s latest book “The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable” is an extended essay of sorts on climate change.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has asked applicants to provide Aadhaar number while applying for any UGC fellowship or scholarship.

BJP leader and Rajya Sabha member Navjot Singh Sidhu has resigned from Rajyasabha.

Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU) has inked MoU with non-profit public organization namely Global Village Foundation (GVF) for collaborative studies and research on social and economic public policies.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT)headed by Justice M B Shah on black money has recommended ban on cash transactions of above Rs 3 lakh and restricting cash holding with individuals to not more than Rs 15 lakh to curb illegal wealth in the economy.

The Centre has released 28,000 crore so far this year to States under MGNREGA to clear the last year’s liabilities and for running the programme in the ongoing year, For ensuring timely payment of wages, the central government has started National Electronic Fund Management System (NeFMS) in 11 states.

Former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit was named by Congress as its chief ministerial candidate for next year’s Assembly polls in politically crucial Uttar Pradesh, citing her “experience and good work” in heading Delhi Government for 15 years.

To ensure smokeless kitchens across rural India,13 lakh LPG connections have been released to women of BPL families under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY).The scheme is currently under operation in 487 districts of 17 states.

Senior Congress leader Margaret Alva said her book ‘Courage and Commitment’ is based on her life and is not about her conflict with Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

The Union Government has notified the UIDAI(Terms and Conditions of Service of Chairperson and Members)Rules, 2016 to give legal shape to Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).

The Cabinet approved the revival of these three closed fertiliser units, with a capacity of 27 million tonnes per annum each at an estimated cost ofRs 18,000 crore to make India self-sufficient in urea output.

The Union Government has allowed companies located in special economic zones (SEZs) to import solid plastic waste.The Environment Ministry has permitted the import by amending the Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Trans boundary Movement) Rules, 2016.

The government set up a high-level committee headed by Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian to consider a “reasonable increase” in minimum support price (MSP) for pulses and bonus for farmers.

The Union cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave its approval for revised cost estimates of Rs 7,290.62 crore for the 1,020 MW Punatsangchhu-II Hydroelectric Project (HEP) in Bhutan.

The world’s first hospital on a train The Lifeline Express (Magic Train) of India, celebrates 25 years of service to the poor and underprivileged masses of rural India on July 16.

The book titled “Ringside with Vijender”published by Juggernaut Books and authored by Rudraneil Senguptahas released.

Union Cabinet has approved the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) to impart skill training to one crore people over the next 4 years(2016-2020), Rs 12,000 crore has been allocated for this yojana.

Snippets from the States

The cabinet approved the establishment of an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana(PMSSY).

Karkkidakam’, the last month in the Malayalam almanac, is observed as the auspicious Ramayana month in the Kerala.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has launched a live interactive programme, titled ‘TalkToAK’, aimed at directly engaging with the Delhi people from across the country can ask him questions over the phone, by sending text messages and through social media.

The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a USD 100 million loan for ‘Climate Adaptation in Vennar Subbasin of Cauvery Delta project’ in Tamil Nadu.

The West Bengal government has set a target to construct toilets across all villages of the state by March 2019 to enable open defecation free (ODF) rural Bengal.

The Central Government has approved projects involving an investment of 50 crore for Mewat and Sirsa districts of Haryana, under Multi Sectoral Development Programme (MSDP).

The Startup Village in Kochi has launched a digital incubator for students startups – Start In College, making it the first of its kind in the entire world.

The Madhya Pradesh government announced the country’s first ever “department of happiness”.

The country’s first industrial park, exclusively for women entrepreneurs, was launched today by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat at the Federation House.

India and the World

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and French firm Safran Helicopter Engines have agreed to establish a support centre in India for national and international rotorcraft customers.

Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari reached Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia. Vice-President Ansari is leading the India delegation for two-day 11th Asia Europe Meeting- ASEM-Summit. The theme for the summit is “20 Years of ASEM: Partnership for the Future through Connectivity”.

International Round-Up

Indian Naval Ships Sahyadri, Shakti and Kirch under the Command of the Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet, Rear Admiral S V Bhokare, and YSM, NMhave arrived at Port Kelang on a four day visit, as part of deployment of the Eastern Fleet to the South China Sea and Western Pacific.

Peruvian officials declared a Zika health emergency in 11 states across the northern half of their country after confirming that 102 people have been infected with the virus.

The two trains”Golden Phoenix” and “Dolphin Blue” pass each other on the railway line between Zhengzhou in central China’s Henan Province and Xuzhou in east China’s Jiangsu Province at a striking speed of 420 km per hour in opposite direction setting a world record.

Science and Technology

Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL) and US-based Bell Helicopter agreed to jointly develop the helicopter market in India, including training,maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), research and development (R&D)and technology sharing.

A Canadian university will conduct the world’s first Zika vaccine test on.Development of the Zika vaccine has been authorized by the US Food and Drug Administration and Health Canada.

The Indian education sector is now in a state of transition, in this phase of transition, on the occasion of World Youth Skills Day(15th July), Maharashtra CM DevendraFadnavis launched the new facilities of virtual and digital classrooms across 32 ITIs in the state.

India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully test-fired its indigenously designed 155 mm/52 calibre Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) to a range of 40 km.

The Indian Institute of Technology Council has decided to provide opportunity to eligible foreign students to study in the IITs.

NASA has announced the discovery of 104 new planets outside our solar system including four that could have Earth-like, rocky surfaces.

Sports Point

Pakistan cricket is Misbah-ul-Haq proved to batting line-up by compiling a masterful century in his first Test innings in England. He received good company from Asad Shafiq who scored 73 while putting up 148 for the fifthwicket before falling in the far end of the day.

Dipika Pallikal Karthik dethroned defending champion Joshna Chinappa to regain the women’s title in the 73rd Senior National Squash Championship.

The men’s crown was captured by title holder and top seed SauravGhosal, who created history by winning it for the 11th time, defeating fourth seed Harinderp

Obituary

Joseph Antic, a silver medallist in men’s hockey for India at the Rome Olympics, passed away.

William H McNeill, an award-winning world historian and author, has died in Torrington, Connecticut, at age 98.